Israel is reportedly promoting several humanitarian projects for Gaza’s benefit, including a solar energy field.
By: World Israel News Staff
Israel has approved construction of a solar farm in its territory in order to provide electricity to Gaza, the Yediot Aharonot newspaper reported Tuesday.
The installation, which will have private Israeli and international financing, will be located near the Erez border crossing into the Gaza Strip.
According to the report, the Israeli government insists that this is a unilateral initiative of a humanitarian nature and does not imply an agreement with the Hamas terror group.
Such proposals have been in circulation for years.
Gaza has been suffering from acute power shortages, and some Israeli officials believe that alleviating the humanitarian stress in Gaza could lead to a decrease in Palestinian terror attacks from Gaza.
The original proposal was to build the panels in Egypt, but Cairo declared that as long as Gaza is not controlled by the Palestinian Authority (PA), that project would not be built on its territory, the report says.
In addition, Israel will assist the US in leading the humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza. The US reportedly plans to infuse massive sums of money into the Strip as part of an effort to improve quality of life for its residents and as a prelude to its new peace plan for the region.
Dr. Simcha Goldin, whose son Hadar is one of the two dead IDF soldiers held by Hamas, said he opposes humanitarian gestures by Israel until Hamas releases Israeli captives and the soldiers’ bodies.